these are "soft" weighted fitness balls

Some recent research shows that crunches, the old standby for ab exercises, only targets 3 of the abdominal muscles. Yet there are muscles that surround the entire core, acting as a girdle to support your spine, increase power and speed, improve stability, and oh yes, give you that six-pack look.

Six-pack abs aside, you need a strong core…

A strong core is your center of power. Powerhouse. Like a rocket ready to take off on a moments notice. Okay, you get the idea. When your core is weak, or shall we say, not as strong as it could be, then your back is not supported as well. Think of all the daily activities you do that require reaching, bending, twisting, turning, and so on. Every time you do that ‘stuff’ you’re asking a lot of your back, and while it is designed to do all of those things, without a strong core acting as a girdle around it, one day that little twist to reach for something could send you right to the couch for two days. Or worse.

But wait, there is more. If you are an athlete or participate in regular physical activity, a strong core is your secret weapon. It helps propel you forward (really fast, if you want, and with POWER), can help you change directions on a dime (without losing your balance), and can take minutes off your personal best if you are a runner. Golfers…a strong core will improve your swing, and help reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries. Sports requiring jumping, like basketball and volleyball, require explosive power. Yeah, the legs deliver a good bit, but the core – a strong one will make it SO much easier. Have I convinced of the merits of having a strong core? I could go on…but I won’t. I’ll save it for another post, but take away this much: include core work in your exercise routine a minimum of three times per week. And one exercise alone won’t do it – you need to work the front, back and sides, ideally from different planes, to get the best bang for your buck. More on this multi-directional stuff later. ;0)

Here are 2 moves to try, neither of which requires a single crunch!

1-LEGGED REVERSE CHOP

Ideally, use a medicine ball (4-6lbs should do) or a Duraball (a soft, smaller weighted ball). If you have neither, a dumbbell will do.

Begin by standing on one leg. Make sure hips are level. You can check this by raising and lowering the hip of the raised leg until both knees are level and hip points are facing forward.

Next, hold the weighted ball, or dumbbell, in both hands at about hip height. At a speed that is appropriate for your level of fitness and experience with this exercise, raise the ball diagonally from the hip, upward across the body, ending above the ear of the SAME side as the leg you are standing on.

The abdominals should be drawn in (this is what I call, “zipping it up,”) toward the spine, and pelvic floor contracted throughout the move.

Return to starting position without lowering the raised leg and repeat 10-12 times before switching sides, or direction of the ball.

For added challenge, you could take the ball in the opposite direction of the raised leg, increase the speed of the ball, add a bit of rotation, or stand on a BOSU or balance cushion. You can get creative as your balance and core strength improves.

To progress this exercise, you can use a heavier ball, add more repetitions, add an additional set or two, or again, begin using an unstable surface as I mentioned above.

MEDICINE BALL PLANK

This is a fun one too. I use the word “fun” when I really mean, “challenging.” ;0)

Using any hard medicine ball (weight of ball isn’t important for this exercise, and a softer med ball probably won’t large enough), place the ball near your feet.

Then, assume the standard elbow plank position: up on the toes, elbows stacked under shoulders, forearms on the floor, neck neutral (this is important!), and abdominals pulled in tight.

Next, hoist your toes up onto the medicine ball. The nature of the ball is, of course, to move, so it is your job to KEEP IT STILL. This is the “fun” part.

For starters, hold for 10-15 seconds, gradually building up to 30, 45, and 60 seconds. Eventually, you may be able to pass the ball back and forth between your feet, add Pilates push-ups, and more “fun” stuff.

The weather is beginning to look like spring and maybe you’re starting to dream about playing golf or tennis again and getting antsy to get in shape. Now is a great time to work on core conditioning so that by the time spring rolls around and you’re ready to go hit some balls, your core is good and strong, mobility is improved, you’re more flexible and you’re ready to attack your golf or tennis game with more power and a decreased risk of sustaining injuries.

Core training helps make movements in everyday living easier – I’ve been pounding in this point week after week: core training is the foundation of movement. In golf or tennis, you need both muscular strength and stability, and flexibility. In fact, about 60% of amateur golfers experience injuries related to over-use, poor swing mechanics and/or striking the ground with the club. Having a strong core greatly reduces your risk of injury, no matter what your sport is.

The traditional approach to core training worked the abs through crunches and maybe a few oblique twists and the rest was often neglected.

The new approach: Use your abs through the entire workout – not just for 10 mins at the end of class or at the end of your run.

Benefits:

Increased athletic performance, injury prevention and functional ability improves.

So, 2-3 times per week, do focused core training:

You can still do traditional, isolated moves like crunches and back extensions, but try to incorporate nontraditional stabilization exercises, such as:

• Superman (lie on floor on stomach (prone) and alternate lifting opposite arm and leg simultaneously. Keep shoulder blades together, lift the head and torso, squeeze the glutes, then lift opp. Arm/leg, hold for 2 counts, lower and repeat with other arm/leg.

• The Quadruped: Similar exercise: on hands and knees, engage abdominals by drawing naval toward the spine, keep head in neutral position, and simultaneously life opp arm and leg. Requires a great deal of balance. Hold for two counts, lower and repeat on the other side.

• Standing Hip Flexion:     Stand in a neutral position with knees slightly bent, feet about hip width apart, arms at sides. Lower torso toward floor with maximum of 90 degrees of hip flexion (parallel to floor). Return to start position. Repeat 8–12x. For added resistance, hold a Body Bar or dumbbells in hands in front of thighs. Repeat above, lowering torso and weights, 8–12x. While holding Body Bar or dumbbells, flex forward, extend and lift R leg behind (maximum height: parallel to floor). Return to start and repeat, lifting L leg. Perform 8–12x, both sides (alternating R and L).

• Plank: Lie prone, forearms resting on the floor and elbows under shoulders, chest and head slightly lifted, legs and toes on floor. Lift torso and knees off floor, and engage abdominals.  You should resemble and ironing board (i.e, tush down and in line with top of head and feet. Think long and straight.) Extend knees until legs are straight. Maintaining neutral spine, hold for 3–5 slow, deep breaths (approximately 30 seconds.) Over time, work up to 60 seconds.

• Gluteal Bridge:  Start supine (lying on your back), with your head and shoulders on floor, shoulders broad, and arms along sides, feet hip width apart, knees bent. Extend hips, lifting buttocks (avoid excessive spinal hyperextension). Hold for 3–5 slow, deep breaths, and lower buttocks to floor without completely releasing. Over time, work up to 12-15 repetitions, and when you can complete those with ease, light dumbbells (5-10 lbs) can be added to the hips to increase resistance.

Remember hooking your feet under the couch and cranking out 20 full sit-ups, thinking this was the route to six-pack abs? Exercise physiologists realized sit-ups worked the hip flexors more than the abs, and put you at risk for lower back injury. This “new” information piloted the ab crunch movement, which promised a safer, more effective route to strong, flat abs. And five million crunches later, you might be wondering if and when those six-pack abs will emerge.

The core is the “power house” of body, and training it properly makes daily living much easier, as well as certain activities (running, golf, tennis, and other recreational sports). The latest research in core conditioning indicates that the most direct route to a strong, fit, flexible mid-section combines a wide-variety of exercises that work not only the rectus abdominis, but all of the musles that act like a girdle around your mid-section: the transversus abdominis, internal and external obliques, spinal erectors, intercostals, iliopsoas and quadratus lumborum. All of these muscles have specific roles in flexing and extending the spine.

A strong core enables you to move through life with easy and stay injury free, and enhances sport performance (think golf, running, tennis…). Begin your conditioning program with 2-3 days of training per week, utilizing 6-7 core exercises, 12-15 reps each.

This Intermediate Core Conditioning program is a good place to start if you are currently fit and would like to improve core strength.

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Intermediate Core Galore
(Click on image to view this workout…)

Here are a few helpful resources for getting started, and remember, if you are new to exercise – get your physician’s “all clear” first.

• Core Power DVD, by Peter Twist

• Athletic Abs, book by Scott Cole and Tom Seabourne

• Ace Fitness Exercise Library
This health/fitness website’s exercise library has specific, easy to learn exercises that target the abs and back.